The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-31
THE LEeAL FnarERNrrY.
An ExcoriatIon Which Will Meet with Dis
approval in Some Quarters.

An ExcoriatIon Which VIII Meet with Dis
approval in Some Quarters.
Jan Francisco Argonaut.
There was period in the earlier history or
this government when the profession or the law
was honorable one. The writer Is not so old
that he cannot remember the time when 1t was
dignlfied as one OF the Learned" professions; in
deed, it.stood at the head of the learned profess
sions and it's members were required TO be men
Of moral character as well as men of learning; it
was demanded Of them, IN practicing their learned
and honorable calling. that they should uphold
the dignity of the profession and maintain their
own personal respectability. The profession
looked up to by all classes, aud by them regarded
as charged with RESPONSE bilities that might not
be avoided, ana with the performance of duties
that m Rht not os neglected From the ranks of
the legal profession came the statesmen of the
land; it's members were looked upon the
actual la w makers; they were charged with the
highest trusts; 10 be lawyer was to be not only
man OF honor and learning. but to be a gentle
man and to possess the qualifications deport-
ment and mar ners of gentleman; he was not
permitted to encourage litigation and stir up
strife in a community by taking coptingent fees
in speculative suits; from among the better class
Of lawyers, men of large experience. ripe
learning and unquestioned excellence OF
character, judges were chosen. To
become judge was regarded Rs the highest
honor to which the most eminent lawyer could
attain. and when clothed with the dignity of the
judicial ermine there was exacted the highest
Integrity, absolute impartiality, and unflnchng
courage TO do the right thing at all times. under
all circumstances. and to ali persons, without re-
gard to the positions held by them IN society.
What is the condition of the legal profession to-
day in AmericaR Neither ability, learning,
good habits moral character, nor gentlemaniy
department dsii Indispensable to admission to the
bar enrolment among the list of attorneys.
Honorable members of the profession will note
the limitation of what would else be
sweeping denunciasion. In the olden
times 1t was FIRST required of the
applicant for membership to the bar that he
should give proof of exemplary habits and good
moral character; he must have been well
grounded in historical reading. II he was
graduate from learned university, it counted
four years his law course of seven; graduate
from law university. or after three years
faithful srudy in respectable attorneys office,
he was entitled to be admitted as an attorney
at law. After three more of study practice
as attorney he is entitled to admission as a
.'counselor" at law. Now. boy who has not
passed the high school, who is absolutely with
out education. comes into an attorneys Office
a servant or messenger; he runs errands, serves
papers, sweeps the Office, is taught to write, to fill
blanks Ike motions in court; he reads the code
brings suits in the justices courts attends
examination before a committing magistrate, as
sists in the defense of criminal, perhaps at
tends lectures for a course two at the Hast
ings Law College, and suddenly is tumbied heels
foremost in to the law after examination be-
thoroughly incomplete. Once at the bar, he
makes his way by buster and cheek. What he
lacks in learning he makes uD in impudence; il
ne lacks moral character the law affords him the
opportunity to practice rascallty; if he is per-
sonally dishonest he knows enough to hide mis-
criminal practices: not only have the qualifca-
tons, learning. industry of students, and per-
soGal character of students been lost
plane Of the profession has been de-
pressed till there is no crime 80 dreadful that it
cannot find men at the bar willing consult in
it's perpetuation. There is no crime palpabe,
open and defiant of the law that there is not
struggle among the members of the profession
10 defend the criminal If there is money in a
case, however notorious or bad, how many at
torneys there at the bar of San Francisco
who will not find some excuse for accepting a
retainer2 If the criminal is the most corrupt of
cries TO heaven for vengeance, is there any
member of the bar who would not cham pion his
cause for coin2 Is there a swindling transaction
of any kind, black mailing suit of any descrip-
ton against land or character, where the hand
OF some lawyer is not manifest in it, Have not
barratry, champerty and maintenance found en-
couragement within the profession2 Have not
perjury and subornation of perjury been made
available by men occupying a leading position
at the BARI Have not criminal insolvency and
dishonest bankruptcy been aided by attorneys
in standing with the courtsE Has not the writ
of bateas corpus been used to defeat the law7
is there any writ, or device, or techncality that
lawyers do not resort to in order to defeat the
law and evade the penalties of its infractionl Is
there any criminal who cannot find an ally in
aided in it's preparation by officer of the
COURT And how about the courts-are the
Judges men of capacity, character and habits
tnat ought to adorn the bencha Are they chosen
from the profession for their learning, in
dustry or moral characterl The courts, the
rapidly than any other department. of gov
eminent, and, far our observation goes,
there is very little effort at the reform of abuses
by the profession.